Nail It November! Week 3

This one is a super easy way to get a wintery look without painting snowflakes all over your nails!

   First, choose a glitter or shimmer polish- like Ice Queen by Sally Hansen. Then apply one or two coats depending on how much pigment the polish contains. Third, add a top coat and dry! The quickest mani- ever! Cheers! And Happy Holidays!

No-Shave November

       This post is dedicated to No-Shave November, or Movember. While ladies don't exactly participate, the winter weather can make for a less urgent need to shave our legs all the time. In any case, here are some handy shaving tips that are always nice to have around.

•        Exfoliating before you shave helps slough dead skin cells so you get the closest, cleanest shave. You can use a body scrub, loofah, bath mitt, or even a wash cloth to help exfoliate.
•       Always exfoliate gently, especially on more delicate areas.
•       When exfoliating, use larger strokes to avoid over exfoliating.
•       NEVER exfoliate broken or inflamed skin and be sure you're extra careful if you choose to shave.
•       Using shaving cream will help you get the smooth stems you're looking for because you get a closer shave, and the closer the shave, the less often you need to. Choose one that is moisturizing and offers a great lather.
•       I find that men's shaving cream, like Barbasol, offers the best lather. If you don't care for the scent but still prefer your guys shaving cream, look for an unscented version.
•       Other great shaving creams include; EOS, Venus, Pure Silk, and Skintimate, among others. You can also try razors that have moisture bars for when you're in a rush that give a similar, silky effect.
•       Let shaving cream sit on your legs for a minute or two so it can soften the hairs a little, making them easier to remove.
•       Always use a clean razor. You'll get a better shave that way and avoid risking infection. As tempting as it may be, try not to store your razor in the shower. Instead, make sure it's dry and store it in a cupboard, or drawer in the bathroom. P.S. Don't forget to use the blade cover.
•       Try using an old, clean blush brush like a barbers tool. Apply shaving cream/gel to your leg and, using small circles, bring it to a lather. This ensures a closer shave because it keeps hairs from laying flat.
•       While you shave, work in small sections- about 3-5 inches at a time, and be sure to rinse your blade often.
•       Score the sultriest legs and help soothe skin by moisturizing post shave. I love Jergens Ultra Healing, Nivea Smooth Sensations, as well as Avon Naturals Hand and Body Lotion. If you're looking to achieve extra sheen, try a shine serum, or a body oil- like argan oil.

      These tips will help you get gorgeous gams in no time! Hope to hear from you- Enjoy!
XOXO, Ashley

Nail It November! Week 2

This weeks post features glitter ombre nails- a really great look to try for the holidays!

      To get started you'll need three glitter polishes in the same color family. I chose red, pink, and a lighter, less pigmented, pink.

Step one: Start with the darkest color and paint the lower 1/3 to 1/4, depending on length, of your nails. Allow to at least dry to the touch. Since you're layering polish it doesn't have to be completely dry.

Step two: With the middle shade, paint the middle of each nail. Start just over the edge of the first shade you did to help blend.

Step three: Take your lightest shade and paint the remaining space on each nail. Then do a single coat over the entire nail.

The look should be very blended with no hard/visible edges. Here's how it should appear:

Enjoy! Happy Holidays!

Nail It November! Week 1

This week for Nail It November I'm featuring a twist on the classic French Manicure- the Half Moon Manicure. Here is a quick how-to:


Step One: Gather your supplies! You'll need two colors of nail polish, paper reinforcements, cotton balls/swabs, and nail polish remover.

Step Two: Paint your base color. Apply two coats to ensure the best look and allow to dry thoroughly. This will keep the reinforcements from lifting polish off your nail and leaving a smudgy, chipped look.

Step Three: Apply reinforcements to the bottom third of your nail. This is and easy step to help achieve the perfect shape for your half moon mani. You can use scissors to cut them in half before removing them from the paper backing to make applying them easier. Make sure the edges are pressed down all the way so that the next coat of color can't seep through.

Step Four: Paint your second color above the reinforcement. It's okay if you go over the reinforcement a little, just be careful you don't paint over it completely. Here's how it should look so far:

Step Five: After your second color dries, slowly peel away the reinforcements. Remember, the polish should dry completely for both colors to ensure a clean look and keep your color from smudging.

Ta-da! Last but not least; clean up edges if necessary for your finished look! There you have it, the easiest, so chic, Half Moon Mani! Be sure to join me during Nail It November and share the looks you come up with. You can post the links to your blog in the comments, or on my Twitter page! Can't wait to see what you post! Till next time, enjoy! xoxo Ashley

Winter Skin Rescue Round-up!

      Need moisture-stat! That winter weather can zap your whole body of moisture it needs to look amazing. As a follow up to my post Dry Skin, Lets Address This, here are my fave moisturizers from head to toe!

     Argan Oil and Aussie 3 Minute Miracle! Amazing amounts of moisture right here. We all know Argan Oil is a great multi-tasker being useful on hands, hair, and nails. Meanwhile, 3 Minute Miracle is great once a week treatment for your hair. (Bonus, it smells awesome!)

     My arsenal includes these great facial products by Missha, Maybelline, Proactiv, and Biore. The first two are great on the go when you need extra coverage. These BB creams go the extra mile and do more than double duty. They cover, camouflage, protect, AND moisturize! WOW, I know right, so blown away. Then you have this incredible Green Tea Moisturizer from Proactiv that not only hydrates your skin, it calms and reduces redness. Last but certainly not least, my go-to year round, Nourish Moisture Lotion by Biore. Can't go wrong with a classic. All these beauty products are amazing and there is something for every skin type and budget.

     In addition to face lotions, lips need some lovin' too so here are my top faves. The best lip balms; Baby Lips in Quenched by Maybelline, and a sweet mint balm by EOS. I love lip products as you can see, from gloss to stains to lip balms and everything else. In the winter time balms are so important because they are soothing and provide extra moisturizer and protection from the cold so in between swipes of lipstick and gloss, add lip balm. For gloss- gotta love Too Faced, this Glamour Gloss is fabulous and goes on so smoothly with the perfect amount of shine. I also love this lipstick from Covergirl- one of the most flexible, moisturizing lipsticks I've ever tried.

    Hands can get neglected in the winter time so make sure you're paying attention to your digits. Now there are so many hand lotions out there, and there should be, I just chose two but I'm sure you already have a few in your stash so here we go; Satin Hands from Mary Kay, as well as Hand Lotion from EOS. I love Satin Hands, this is great for extra dry hands on days when it's really cold. EOS is a recent discovery for me that I was turned on to by my beauty bonding buddy Aly from http://lifewithaly.blogspot.com/ Great friend and great writer, check her page out!

     Now when it comes to all over care for your body, I like an array of lotions. I've chosen five among favorites to show you, all on the thicker side, which is great for winter. Nivea Smooth Sensation, Jergens Ultra Healing, April Body Cream, Carol's Daughter Ecstasy (Shea Souffle) and Body Lotion by Bath and Body Works. All of these are going to be useful in fighting dry, dull skin. My current favorite and a recent acquisition thanks to Glossy Box, is the Ecstasy Shea Souffle by Carol's Daughter. This smells and feels amazing. Again, its thicker and this makes it a great moisturizer.

     Don't let the winter weather effect your skin. Take action by staying hydrated, watching the temp in the shower, and  making sure you're applying moisture when and where needed. Don't leave anything out like your lips and hands either. Having great, healthy, glowing skin isn't easy but it's not impossible and a handful of great moisturizers will help guard against dull, dry skin. That's all for now, stay gorgeous and see you next time! xoxo Ashley